The Legends of Captain Jack Sparrow
by Dweller in the Deep
Summary: Everyone believes their own version of how Jack escaped the island…but will anyone believe the truth?


The Legends of Captain Jack Sparrow

Disclaimer: The characters from PotC are not mine. And neither is the idea of sea-turtles. Lol!

'Right, kids, to bed with ye.' 

'But Pa, I'm a big boy now! Send Cathy to bed.'

Cathy, John's youngest, pouted, her fair eyebrows knitted together as she looked daggers at her brother.

'I'm big too, Johnny!' she protested, stamping her small foot angrily.

'Now, children, do as your father says.' their mother scolded gently.

'Pa, what about a story?' pled Johnny.

'Oh, all right.' he agreed good-naturedly. 'What shall it be tonight?'

'Captain Jack Sparrow, Pa! Please?' cried Johnny, and Cathy clapped her hands.

'Done. Now, get ready for bed and I'll be with you in a minute.' his children hurried from the room.

'Don't keep them up too late. Or frighten them.' his wife warned. John chuckled in response.

'Pa! We're ready!' Cathy called, and John head for their room.

'Well then, it goes like this, see- and don't let no one go tell'n you otherwise. 

It was a dark night. The sea was dead calm. Mutiny was about to rear it's ugly head. Our Captain Jack was stranded on some forsaken island by his own crew. But Jack didn't despair. Nay, he thought up a plan. He was on that island for weeks. He collected the water that settled in the palm leaves to drink. He ate crabs and other small creatures that lived on the beach. 

Finally, his chance came. He spotted a whale approaching the island. He swam out to meet it, and the whale swallowed him whole! Hunters caught the whale and found Jack inside! Clever bloke, that Jack was. He sailed with the hunters back to the mainland and plotted revenge on his unfaithful crew. But that's another story.'

'Now, it's best ye children rest now. Tomorrow, I'll tell you how Captain Jack fought five men with nothing but the shin of a cow and one hand tied behind his back…'

__

Meanwhile, across the street and three houses down…

Betsy stood in the doorway and looked out at the night sky. She imagined the tattered curtain, which flapped in the window beside her, was a sail of the Black Pearl. She'd grown up surrounded by its legends- and those of Captain Jack. 

Peter tugged at her sleave. 'Tuck me in.' he demanded in his quiet way.

'Right you are, my boy.' she smiled and picked him up. They passed through her sewing room- she worked as a seamstress- and into their shared bedroom. When her husband died, Betsy had sold their old home and bought this smaller house. She hated it, but they had needed the money and the house served its purpose.

'Tell me a story.' Peter asked.

'Hmm…let me see. I'll tell you the tale of Captain Jack Sparrow, as I heard it from my mother before me. Don't be fooled by the accounts of others- this is the truth.'

'Our hero was marooned on a lonely island one stormy night. The wind was fierce and the ocean pounded the sandy shore of what was certain to be his final resting place. 

The next day the storm calmed and Jack spent his time trying to find food. Several lonely weeks later, it looked as if he might starve to death, but the weather changed again, and, with it, his luck. 

Lightning struck the base of a palm-tree and a fire was started. Captain Jack huddled close to protect it ere the fierce wind could drive the fragile flames away. By morning the storm ceased and Jack added more bracken to fuel the flames. Then, an idea struck him. If he could get the fire to burn through the tree, he might use the log as a boat to get him off the island. Later that day, the tree fell and he rolled it into the sea. As the sun set, he left the island and made his way back to the mainland.'

Peter sighed as dreams took him. Betsy kissed his forehead. 'Sleep well, my boy.'

__

Meanwhile, in the quaint little house by the Governor's estate…

Elizabeth laughed as her son asked for a story.

'You're much too spoiled. It's late and time for bed.'

'Oh, Papa, please?' he asked his father instead.

'Hush, or you shall wake Isabel.' he warned, a twinkle in his eye. 'Come, Elizabeth. Let the boy hear a story. Then there shall be peace.' 

She sighed, defeated. 'Make it quick. The Devil takes children who are up past the twelfth hour.' she cautioned, remembering the threat her father used to use. It had about the same affect on her son as it had had on her. 

'Let him come,' he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. 'Papa has shown me how to use the sword.' 

She shook her head and waited by the door; curious to hear what tale Will would tell.

'Before you were born, there was a ship. The Black Pearl. Jack Sparrow was its captain. His crew committed mutiny and abandoned him on an island. He had no food, no drink. He nearly starved to death. Every day the sun burned him; every night the wind froze him. In desperation, he tore the hair from his back and waded out into the sea.

For three days he moved not at all, waiting for an unwary creature to stray close enough. Finally, a group of sea turtles swam about him, and he roped three together with the hair from his back. He rode upon their backs, returning to the mainland. That is what happened, whatever else you chance to hear.'

'Wow, turtles! Captain Jack must have been some fellow!'

'He was.' Will agreed. 'Now sleep, Nicholas.' he continued, turning from the room. He met Elizabeth in the hall as he shut the doors of his son's chamber.

'Why did you tell him that?' she asked with a smile.

'Elizabeth, my love.' he began as he placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. 'I could not tell him the truth. After all, we have Jack's honour to uphold.' he grinned.

'Oh, of course, my love.' she continued mischievously. 'I only meant you could have been more creative. Sea turtles? Honestly…'

__

Meanwhile, in Tortuga, at the Faithful Bride…

'I 'erd 'e fought off the natives, stole a canoe n used that t' 'scape.' slurred one of the many drunken pirates which occupied the Faithful Bride.

'Nah, mate. Nah. 'Twas a giant clam shell 'e used.' replied the man with a wiry beard and a patch over one eye.

'An 'ow would ye know, eh, Barney? Yer never sober 'nough to remember ye name, let 'lone a story.'

'Well, I 'erd it was mermaids tha' saved 'im.' piped up another man.

'I 'erd it was Dolphins!'

'Mermaids!'

'Dolphins!'

'Mer-'

'What if I told you it was none of those things?' the heavily hooded man in the corner asked.

'Well, what was it then?' mocked the man who had argued mermaids.

''E was there for three glorious days of rum 'n sunshine, an 'e caught a ship 'ome.' 

The whole tavern fell silent and stared at the man.

'Pah! 'E's 'ad too much rum 'n sunshine 'imself!' yelled the man they called Barney, and everyone laughed.

The hooded man just smiled his golden grin, raised his mug and muttered a quiet toast, 

'To legends, and the imbeciles who know no better.' 

__________________________

A/N: This is my first PotC fic. So, good or bad, tell me what you thought. 


End file.
